Apparatus for releasing ships&#39; lifeboats



y 16, 1929- E. HINRICHSEN APPARATUS FOR RELEASING SHIPS LIFE BOATS Filed Nov- 14. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet y 16, 1929- E. HINRICHSEN 1.720.730

- APPARATUS FOR RELEASING SHIPS LIFE BOATS Filed Nov. 14, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i fl /VCNTUR Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERICK HINRICHSEN, OF HAMBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM: AUGUST STICH, OF HAMBURG-WILHELMSBURG, GERMANY.

APPARATUS FOR RELEASING SHIPS LIFEIBOATS.

Application filed November 14, 1928, Serial No. 319,365, and in Germany September 21, 1928.

The prompt and reliable releasing of boathoisting hooks from which loaded ships liie boats hang is of the utmost importance in mements of danger. The present invention relates to an appliance with which, by a single manual operation, a ships lite boat hanging in its tackle can be released without special expenditure of force, either when the boat is still suspended above the water or when it 18 already partially or completely floating upon the water.

The invention is illustrated by way oi ample in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows one of the hood devices in side elevation, partly in section,

Figure :2 shows a side elevation of a ships boat with a pair of the hookdevices fitted to it, and

Figure 3 shows a correspondin plan view.

The boat-hoisting hook a is rot table about a bolt 6. The latter is guided in forks 0 and 0 which are connected with the stem or stern part and with the keel of the boat. A rearward extension of the hook a rest-s upon a rotatable bolt (Z, formed with a notch through which, when the bolt (Z is suitably rotated, the hook can push its way in a downward direction in consequence of the pull exerted at the point of suspension by the weig t of the boat, so that the suspension cable slips out of the hook a.

The rotating of the bolt (Z is eftccted by means of a lever e, which is provided with a counterweight and connected by a wire rope f with a similar lever 0 which is located at the opposite end of the boat and connected with a second similarly shaped boat-hoisting hook (4,. Upon the wire rope 7' is mounted at a suitable position a handle or lever g i'or actu ating the device.

Since only a force sufiicient to overcome the friction of the bolt (Z is required, the expenditure of "force necessary for actuating the device is quite inconsiderable and is independ ent of the magnitude of the load resting upon the two hoisting hooks a and 6a,.

The apparatus can obviously be used not only for life boats but also for other articles hanging from suspension cables or chains.

hat I claim is 1. Apparatus for releasing lite boats and other suspended articles from their suspension means, such as cables or chains, comprising stationary supporting means, a suspension hook rotatably mounted in the said supporting means, a member rotatably mounted in the supporting means near the hook in such a position that some part of the hook at a distance from its axis of rotation can engage with the rotatably mounted member, the saic rotatably mounted member being formed with a notch through which the engaged part oi the hook can slip when the rotatable mem her is rotated into a particular position, thereby enabling the suspension means to become disengaged from the hook, means such as a weighted lever secured to the said rotatably mounted member and tending to rotate it in one direction out of the position in which the hook can slip through the notch, and means for rotating the rotatably mounted member in the opposite direction at will for releasing purposes.

2. Apparatus for releasing life boats and other suspended articles from their suspension means, such as cables or chains, comprising stationary supporting means, two similarly shaped suspension hooks rotatably mounted in the said supporting means, an extension on each of the said suspension hooks, a bolt rotatably mounted in the said supporting means near each hook in such a position that the extremity of the hook extension can rest on the bolt, the said bolt being formed with a notch through which the extremity of the hook extension can slip when the bolt is rotated into a particular position, thereby en-- abling the suspension means to slip off the hooks, means such as weighted levers secured to the said bolts and tending to rotate them in one direction out of the position in which the hook extensions can slip through the notches, and means for rotating the bolts in the opposite direction at will for releasing purposes.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ERIOH HINRIOHSEN. 

